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At one time or another, most women experience an irregular menstrual cycle. While regular for some women may be every four weeks, the length
between cycles will vary between individuals. However, most women get their period every 21-35 days.

Inconsistency often isn’t something to cause concern. In most cases it is due to a hormonal imbalance, which can be normalized with medication, such as birth control.

Sangeeta Senapati, MD, Endoscopic Surgeon at NorthShore, shares some of the causes of irregular menstrual cycles:

Medication. Depending on the types of medications you are on, your cycle may be impacted. If you recently began using birth control or have switched this medication, it is also not uncommon for your cycle to change in frequency, flow and length.

Tobacco and alcohol use. Cigarette smoking can cause a shortening of your menstrual cycle. Women who smoke are also more likely to have painful periods. Alcohol can disrupt the menstrual cycle and prevent a woman from ovulating. This may mean delayed
or skipped menses.

Excessive exercise. Those training for endurance sports (such as marathons) often experience missed periods or loss of menses entirely. This may occur due to decrease in body fat and overall increase in the body’s stress level, which causes a hormonal imbalance.

Change in weight – through a weight gain or loss. A decrease in body fat below 15% may lead to a decrease in female hormones, which can cause delay and loss of menstruation. Obesity may lead to menstrual problems as well causing women to have fewer menses
than normal. Women who are overweight may also have longer and heavier menses due to the excess estrogen that is associated with weight gain.

Diet. Poor nutrition – either due to an eating disorder or not – can cause women to skip cycles. Diets high in carbohydrates may also impact menstruation.

Pregnancy. It is important to remember that you can still become pregnant even if you are not menstruating regularly.

Onset of menopause. Menopause has officially occurred when it has been 12 months since your last menstrual period. The average age of menopause is 51-52. The perimenopausal period often begins in a woman’s 40’s. Some signs of the perimenopausal period may
include irregular menses, hot flashes/night sweats, vaginal dryness and sleep disturbances.

If you experience consistently irregular menstrual cycles it may be worthwhile to consult your physician.

Our ears are sensitive – a single loud blast (such as a gunshot or explosion) or repetitive exposure to loud noises can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. It’s important to learn what sound levels are healthy to reduce impact on your hearing. While
there’s ongoing debate about the harm of frequent use of MP3 players, the effect on one’s hearing is still unknown.

That said, there are some things you can do to help prevent hearing loss. Michael J. Shinners, MD, a fellowship-trained specialist in otology/neurotology and NorthShore physician provides his insight on protecting your hearing:

Most people generally listen to personal music players at an acceptable volume. However, a good rule of thumb is this: If you can hear what song someone is listening to on their headphones, chances are it’s too loud.

If you enjoy live music and concerts, a good option for limiting damage to your inner ear is to purchase foam and/or custom-made earplugs. Custom-made earplugs will lower the volume without distorting the sound.

Hearing loss may take years to show up, so it’s very important to adopt good habits and protect your ears earlier than later.

If you are exposed to sound levels over 85 decibels at work, you must be offered hearing protection and regular testing to prevent hearing damage. This is according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines.

What do you do to protect your hearing? Have you ever noticed a change in your hearing from being exposed to a loud sound (blast or music)?

Many juices are advertised as being nutritious, and kids love juice, so parents happily provide it, believing it is a healthy choice. However, juice does not provide the same nutrition as a piece of whole fruit, and has been linked to obesity and tooth decay.
Juice should be given in moderation and should not be thought of as a substitute for healthier choices like whole fruit, milk or water.

If you choose to give your child juice, Sara Wiemer, MD, Pediatrician at NorthShore, offers the following suggestions for maximizing its nutritional value:

Read labels carefully. Many juices are high in calories and sugar, and low in nutritional value – no better than a can of soda! Avoid juice from concentrate and juice with a lot of additives.

Opt for a serving of fruit instead of juice whenever possible. If this isn’t possible, try to select a 100% fruit juice with pulp. While 100% fruit juice does provide some of the vitamins and nutrients present in the fruit itself, it often lacks fiber and
other nutrients, and can have unhealthy additives.

Use a cup, not a bottle, when giving juice to small children and restrict its use to meal or snack times. If a child is “nursing” a bottle of juice over a long period of time, or falls asleep with it in the mouth, the sugars sit on the teeth and will lead
to tooth decay.

Juice is filling and decreases your child’s appetite for more nutritional foods – be sure to offer healthier choices first.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following servings of juice:

Under six months – Not recommended

Ages one to six years– No more than 4 to 6 ounces are recommended per day

If you’ve had young children, you’ve probably received a note from their teachers or administrators saying that there has been an outbreak of lice at school. Head lice are a very common problem for preschool, kindergarten and elementary students. In fact,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate 6-12 million infestations occur a year among children ages 3-11.

While typically not known for spreading disease, these parasites can be a nuisance to identify, treat and exterminate. Felissa Kreindler, MD, shares her insight on warning signs for detecting and treating head lice:

Avoid close head-to-head contact whenever possible. This can be done by not sharing hats, personal clothing and hair items, combs and brushes.

Stay clear of areas that have recently been infected. Don’t sit on couches and chairs that have been in close contact with someone who has recently had lice. Also be mindful of pillows, blankets, bedding , towels and other items that may
have been exposed.

Know the symptoms of lice. These include: itching, sores on the head and feelings of something moving through the hair on the head. Combing through your or your child’s hair with a fine- toothed comb may help identify them.

Treat the person and the living area. It’s very important not just to treat the person with lice –this can be done with various over-the-counter treatments—but also the areas and items that this person has been in contact with, such as
clothing , bedding and towels listed above. Family members and others should also check for lice and follow similar treatment methods, if needed.

Have you or your kids ever had lice? What did you do to get rid of them?

With Halloween “creeping” up and followed closely by Thanksgiving and Christmas, there are a lot of treats to contend with.

Here are the strategies that seem to work best for my family:

Give your will power a break: Avoid temptation by not keeping your favorite sweets around the house. I know I can’t have chocolate around the house without overindulging, so I buy other types of candy for trick or treating (because you
know you’re going to sneak into that stash, right?)

Have your cake and eat it too: Don’t try to avoid sweets altogether (or expect your children to) – that will just set you up to binge and feel bad. Plan for small indulgences throughout the week. This way you can incorporate the treats
into a well-balanced diet and when you “cheat” you won’t feel like you failed and end up throwing your healthy diet out the window.

Play favorites: Be choosy about your choices and don’t have dessert just because it’s there. I don’t have weaknesses for pie or ice cream, but watch out if there are brownies around! Save your calories for what you really want or take
the opportunity to have a small serving. It’s not that difficult if you remind yourself there are so many more ‘sweet’ opportunities around the corner.

While the options may seem endless, selecting your primary care physician—typically a doctor who practices Family Medicine, Internal Medicine or General Practice—may be one of the most important health decisions you can make. Not only will you build a relationship
with this physician over time, but he or she can provide you with preventive care that may help improve your overall health.

Everyone may have different preferences when it comes to choosing a doctor. Similar to hiring for fit, selecting your primary care physician can be a similar task. One thing to keep in mind: It’s best to choose a physician before you need one, this way you
can build a relationship and share your health history without having to rush to a decision.

John Revis, MD, Internal Medicine physician at NorthShore, provides some quick tips on what to consider when selecting your primary care physician:

Location – Make sure you select a physician that is in a close or convenient location. Based on your lifestyle this may mean selecting a doctor either close to home or to work. You may also want to consider what walk-in, extended and weekend
hours are offered. After all, not all trips to the doctor are planned.

Referrals from others – Ask your friends, family members and neighbors for their insight on physicians. Feel free to do the same with other healthcare providers you’ve had appointments with and seen in the past.

Experience and education – If you have a specific health condition, you may want to consider choosing a physician that has experience and expertise in this field. You may also want to determine what other physicians and specialists your
doctor has connections with, either at their office or nearby hospitals.

Fit and Personality – Choose a physician that makes you feel comfortable and at ease. It’s important to find a physician whose personal style and patient approach best matches your expectations. If you prefer a female versus a male physician,
or someone who speaks a particular language, these are important considerations, too.

How long have you had your primary care physician? What qualities do you look for in a doctor?

Do Downward-Facing Dog, Plank, Warrior I and Child’s Pose sound familiar? While you’ve probably heard of at least one of these popular yoga poses, maybe you’ve even done a few of them yourself.

Yoga—originating in India—is a practice that has been around for centuries. Yoga is a vast body of knowledge which includes physical exercise done through the practice of yoga poses, breathing exercises to calm the nervous system, meditation practices to focus
the mind, dietary practices to detoxify the body, herbal oil massages to nourish the skin, philosophy for living a peaceful life and the Science of Ayurveda (The Indian Medical System which includes Ayurvedic Acupuncture, Ayurvedic Herbs and Ayurvedic Massage
Therapies). Yoga is an entire system of self-care and self-realization which was one of the first paradigms of Energy Medicine known to man.

Hatha Yoga is a type of exercise, that when done correctly, can be good for people of all ages and physical abilities. Polly Liontis, Yoga Instructor (Certified by the Himalayan Institute and a Licensed Massage Therapist/LMT), identifies some of the health
benefits of practicing yoga:

Helps balance the nervous system. Something which distinguishes yoga from any other form of physical exercise is that the movement is always coordinated with the breath. Moving the body through yoga poses while practicing deep diaphragmatic breathing allows
the body to oxygenate the blood and muscles and keeps the mind focused on the coordination of the movement with the breath. This calms the mind and moves the body out of the stress response.

Builds strength and increases flexibility. Many yoga poses require you to bear your own body weight in different positions for various periods of time which builds bone and muscle strength. Also, many poses focus on developing and using core muscle groups
and enhancing your range of motion. These poses increase both strength and flexibility within and around the spine and improve your posture.

Alleviates stress and relaxes the body. An entire branch of yoga is dedicated to breathing exercises, many of which engage the parasympathetic nervous system and naturally slow the heart rate, lower the blood pressure and bring the entire nervous system
to a deep state of relaxation by inducing a profound relaxation response in the body. This enables us to take the body out of the “fight or flight” response.

Calms the mind. Meditation is another branch of yoga that teaches many different ways to focus the mind, calm the breath and systematically relax the body. This induces a deep state of relaxation and takes the body out of the “stress response.”

Improves the quality of your sleep. The regular practice of yoga has also been shown to help you sleep better and reduce insomnia by calming the nervous system.

Brush your teeth after every meal. Floss regularly. Avoid drinking too many sugary beverages. There are plenty of things that we can do to help promote oral health. Yet for many of us, we brush our teeth without realizing how important a clean mouth is to
our overall health. In fact, your mouth can provide the firsthand view on nutrition and infections, both of which can affect the rest of your body.

Once our baby teeth fall out, we only get one set of teeth. With the proper prevention and care, most oral conditions and diseases can be avoided or greatly reduced. Mira Diora, DDS, and Jennifer Moy, Dental Hygienist, give the following tips to keep your mouth
healthy and clean:

Brush your teeth after every meal, or at least twice a day, with a fluoride, FDA-approved toothpaste.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and one fact many of us may not be aware of is that breast cancer can affect both women and men. Men, just like women, have breast tissue, thus making it possible to also develop breast cancer. Breast cancer is not
very common in men, and most men who are diagnosed with it do not develop it until they are older (50 to 60 years of age). However, younger men can also develop breast cancer, making it very important to identify signs and symptoms. The incidence of breast
cancer in men is very low. Yet, a strong family history of breast cancer, particularly in younger family members, increases the risk of breast cancer in men. In patients with a BRCA genetic mutation, the age of diagnosis is younger. If present, the lifetime
risk of developing breast cancer in a man is approximately 6%.

David J. Winchester, MD, Breast Surgeon at NorthShore, identifies what men should look for to determine breast cancer:

A painless lump in the breast. This can be identified on a self breast exam.

Discharge from the nipple (may include bleeding).

Breast asymmetry.

Nipple retraction or deformity.

Breast cancer is often diagnosed at later stages in men. If you notice any of the signs listed above, plan to reach out to your physician for evaluation.

Are you surprised that breast cancer affects men? What other information would you want to learn about on the topic?

It’s one thing for an elderly relative, friend or loved one to be forgetful from time to time, but if you begin
to notice changes in memory, thinking and problem solving you may want to consider getting him or her screened for Alzheimer’s disease. While the progression of this condition may vary from person to person, there are tell-tale signs to help determine diagnosis.

Felise Zollman, MD, Neurologist with NorthShore, recommends looking for the following warning signs for those who may be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD):

Forgetting important dates, such as family members’ birthdays and anniversaries

Repetitively asking the same questions during conversation

Getting lost or disoriented in familiar surroundings

Frequently forgetting common words

Having trouble managing your finances and/or checkbook when it never used to be a problem

While it can be normal to have any of these problems occur once in a while, they become concerning if they begin to affect the person’s daily life.

Along with warning signs, Dr. Zollman also outlines some of the most common risk factors for developing this condition, including:

Age and sex: Alzheimer’s is most common in those who are 65 years of age or older, and more frequently affects women.

Family history: Those with a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) with Alzheimer’s disease have a modest increased risk of developing the condition themselves.

Genetics: Inheriting certain genes, like the APO-e4 , can increase the chance that a person will develop AD—but having the gene does not make development of the condition inevitable. More rarely, and usually associated with early onset
of AD, there are inherited genes which do run in families and directly cause the condition.

Do you know someone with Alzheimer’s disease? What recommendations would you have to others who are just finding out someone they know has this disease?